Latest news and stories about water supply in infrastructure in Portugal for expats and residents.
Minister of Environment Maria da Graça Carvalho confirmed that a recent cyberattack targeting several companies within the Águas de Portugal group did not impact the public water supply. The minister stated that the breach was contained within the administrative systems of the utility provider.
Water reserves in the Almada municipality have reached 40 percent, a level that the Municipalized Water and Sanitation Services (Serviços Municipalizados de Água e Saneamento or SMAS) says may allow for a reduction in scheduled supply cuts. The area has faced significant water shortages throughout the month, impacting residents in locations such as Costa da Caparica. Meanwhile, separate repair work on a pipe in Queluz recently left residents without water for over 15 hours.
Update: Almada water reserves rise to 46 percent
New data from the SMAS indicates that water reserves have recovered to 46 percent, placing the municipality in a 'yellow' monitoring category. The agency has launched a new online dashboard to track reservoir levels and continues to conduct inspections to identify and repair significant water losses in the network.
SMAS (Serviços Municipalizados de Água e Saneamento) is a municipal service provider responsible for managing water supply, sewage, and waste collection in specific Portuguese municipalities. In Almada, this entity oversees the local water infrastructure, and its operational failures are often linked to long-term maintenance and investment decisions made by the local government.
The municipality of Almada has announced a total water supply cut tonight from 10:00 PM until 6:00 AM on Friday across 21 locations, including Charneca da Caparica and Aroeira. The Municipal Water and Sanitation Services (Serviços Municipalizados de Água e Saneamento or SMAS) stated the measure is necessary to restore water reserves following recent supply failures.
SMAS (Serviços Municipalizados de Água e Saneamento) is a municipal service provider responsible for managing water supply, sewage, and waste collection in specific Portuguese municipalities. In Almada, this entity oversees the local water infrastructure, and its operational failures are often linked to long-term maintenance and investment decisions made by the local government.
The Almada Municipal Water and Sanitation Services (Serviços Municipalizados de Água e Saneamento or SMAS) brought a new groundwater borehole into operation this Sunday. The infrastructure, which was completed ahead of schedule, increases production capacity by 60 m³/h to help mitigate recent supply constraints and consumption spikes.
Update: Minister Neves addresses contractor hiring controversy
Minister of Internal Administration Luís Neves has responded to public controversy regarding his hiring of a contractor for private work on his property. The contractor had previously held contracts with the Judiciary Police (Polícia Judiciária or PJ) during Neves's tenure as its director. Neves denied any irregularities but admitted he would have handled the situation differently today.
SMAS (Serviços Municipalizados de Água e Saneamento) is a municipal service provider responsible for managing water supply, sewage, and waste collection in specific Portuguese municipalities. In Almada, this entity oversees the local water infrastructure, and its operational failures are often linked to long-term maintenance and investment decisions made by the local government.
The PJ (Polícia Judiciária) is Portugal's national criminal investigation police agency, founded in 1945. Operating under the Ministry of Justice and supervised by the Public Ministry (prosecutors), the PJ is a "higher criminal police body" specializing in serious and complex crimes. Mission: The PJ assists judicial and prosecuting authorities by investigating terrorism, organized crime, homicide, kidnapping, drug trafficking, corruption, cybercrime, financial crime, and money laundering. It conducts forensic examinations, operates Portugal's Interpol and Europol liaison offices, and maintains specialized units including the National Counterterrorism Unit and National Anti-Corruption Unit. Difference from PSP/GNR: While PSP (civilian urban police) and GNR (military rural police) focus on preventive policing, public order, and investigating minor crimes, the PJ exclusively handles serious crime investigation requiring specialized technical and scientific expertise. PSP and GNR report to the Ministry of Internal Affairs; PJ reports to the Ministry of Justice. PJ officers receive higher pay and prestige but face greater operational risk.
Luís Neves will take office on Monday as Minister of Internal Administration. He graduated in law and has worked at the Judicial Police since 1995, where he served as coordinator of a national unit and developed a long career in criminal investigation.
The Municipal Water and Sanitation Services (Serviços Municipalizados de Água e Saneamento or SMAS) of Almada have implemented nightly water supply cuts between 10 pm and 6 am to stabilize reservoir levels. The Water and Waste Services Regulation Authority (Entidade Reguladora dos Serviços de Águas e Resíduos or ERSAR) confirms that while water may appear whitish due to air in the pipes, it remains safe for human consumption.
Update: New borehole to boost Almada water supply
Almada authorities announced that a new borehole will begin operating this Sunday morning to help reinforce the local water supply. This addition aims to address ongoing shortages that have caused frequent service interruptions across the municipality.
SMAS (Serviços Municipalizados de Água e Saneamento) is a municipal service provider responsible for managing water supply, sewage, and waste collection in specific Portuguese municipalities. In Almada, this entity oversees the local water infrastructure, and its operational failures are often linked to long-term maintenance and investment decisions made by the local government.
The Water and Waste Services Regulation Authority (Entidade Reguladora dos Serviços de Águas e Resíduos or ERSAR) is the public body responsible for regulating water supply, wastewater management, and municipal waste services in Portugal. It monitors service quality and compliance with legal standards, ensuring that utility providers like the Almada Municipal Water and Sanitation Services (Serviços Municipalizados de Água e Saneamento or SMAS) meet their obligations to consumers.
Residents in Almada are protesting against persistent water supply issues, leading to calls for the resignation of Mayor Inês de Medeiros. The Seixal municipality has accused Almada of failing to maintain its infrastructure, noting that a significant portion of the water supply is captured in Seixal, while the PS district structure has urged the National Association of Portuguese Municipalities (Associação Nacional de Municípios Portugueses or ANMP) to address the funding needed for network repairs.
ANMP is the National Association of Portuguese Municipalities (Associação Nacional de Municípios Portugueses), a membership body that represents Portugal’s 308 municipalities and speaks for them in talks with central government. Its new leadership raising questions matters because ANMP advises on local finance and decentralisation rules that directly affect municipal budgets, responsibilities and the practical ability of towns to deliver services.
There are areas that will have no water between 10:00 PM and 6:00 AM. The population is desperate. The collapse in supply threatens public health.
Update: Almada implements overnight water cuts
The Almada City Council has confirmed that six locations, including Feijó, Laranjeiro, Vale Flores, Barrocas, Cova da Piedade, and Chegadinho, will face total water cuts from 10:00 PM Friday to 6:00 AM Saturday. The municipality has declared a state of alert due to unprecedented consumption levels and will also close public swimming pools and restrict access to municipal spaces.
The Almada City Council has announced a ban on all non-essential water usage, including watering, to replenish reserves following persistent supply failures. Local officials hope to stabilize the situation within two to three weeks, though critics point to long-standing infrastructure neglect and high water loss rates in the municipality.
The Water and Waste Services Regulation Authority (Entidade Reguladora dos Serviços de Águas e Resíduos or ERSAR) has demanded explanations from Almada's municipal water services regarding ongoing supply shortages. A major pipe burst has left six areas without running water, exacerbating tensions that led to a petition signed by over 3,000 residents.
Update: Almada water supply restoration continues gradually
Water supply has begun to return to the affected areas following the repair of a burst main, though full normalization is expected to be gradual. The municipality reports that 2026 has seen the highest water consumption in 75 years, with a 4.3% increase in the first half of the year, further straining local reserves.
The Water and Waste Services Regulation Authority (Entidade Reguladora dos Serviços de Águas e Resíduos or ERSAR) is the public body responsible for regulating water supply, wastewater management, and municipal waste services in Portugal. It monitors service quality and compliance with legal standards, ensuring that utility providers like the Almada Municipal Water and Sanitation Services (Serviços Municipalizados de Água e Saneamento or SMAS) meet their obligations to consumers.
Almada Mayor Inês de Medeiros has apologized to residents following frequent water supply interruptions affecting over 100,000 people. The failures have been particularly severe in Costa de Caparica and Charneca de Caparica, with residents launching a public petition demanding urgent infrastructure improvements. The local government is now implementing measures to stabilize the supply as extreme heat exacerbates the situation.
Inês de Medeiros is a Portuguese actress-turned-politician from the Socialist Party who has served in national politics and later took up local government responsibilities, including becoming mayor of Almada. She is mentioned in this story because the landslide and evacuations in Costa da Caparica on 17 February are matters the Almada municipal government and mayor’s office would handle.
